Shot Hopkins doctor upgraded to good condition

The Johns Hopkins Hospital doctor who was shot by the disgruntled son of a patient has been upgraded to good condition, hospital spokesman Gary Stephenson said Monday.

David B. Cohen was shot in the abdomen Thursday by Paul Warren Pardus, who was upset about his mother's condition and reportedly blamed Cohen for his mother's paralysis. While Cohen was rushed into surgery, Pardus locked himself and his mother in her hospital room. Sometime during a three-hour wait before police entered the room, he fatally shot his mother and turned the gun on himself.

Cohen's condition, which initially was reported as critical, has steadily improved. He was upgraded to "fair" Saturday.

Stephenson said then that "we are confident he will recover."

Also Monday, Cohen's wife, Cynthia, released a statement. "We are deeply appreciative of the outpouring of support and concern for us during this difficult time. We are especially grateful to everyone at Johns Hopkins who worked to make David's recovery possible. Now it is important that our time and energy be focused on David's recovery. David is in good condition and continuing to recover more and more every day. We are asking the media to please respect our privacy during this time of healing. Thanks for your understanding."